The Banjo Player by Erin Lark Maples

Author:Erin Lark Maples [Erin Lark Maples]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

19

ELIZABETH SWALLOWED HER PRIDE along the drive.

Last winter when she’d found Leia, Elizabeth had grown attached to Corbin’s former location—and a little to Corbin himself. He’d built a hodgepodge of buildings, each styled like a building in an old western town. Elizabeth had loved her visits.

Until Hannah Black.

Hannah was the widow of a famous sled dog breeder and trainer. When Hannah returned to town for the funeral of her estranged husband, it hadn’t taken her long to rekindle an old flame—Corbin—and clash with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth couldn’t blame Hannah, not for long, anyway. Corbin was the other half of that equation. Even if his flirtation with Elizabeth had been real at first, feelings change. The past was a powerful pull, and Hannah didn’t force Elizabeth’s wounded pride. Life moved on, and so would she.

Still, her arrival at the new facility stung a little. Hannah had donated land for the building, a convenient spot next to her own spread. Corbin built a huge barn and would soon add kennels. He opened his doors for as many animals as he could manage and had started hiring staff.

There was no sign of anyone when Elizabeth arrived. She extracted Rhett from his car seat and made her way to the corrals. Rhett loved the new small herd of Sicilian donkeys. Corbin took them in from a New Mexico facility that was out of space. Elizabeth’s son loved to pat the tops of their heads to watch their ears drop in reflex.

In a snug stall at the back of the corrals, a single donkey was tethered by a lead rope. A person in coveralls hunched over one of the animal’s hooves.

“Hello there,” she said. “I’m here to meet with Corbin. Seen him around?”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened when the person unfolded from their bent position.

George wiped at his forehead with the side of one arm. “This is unexpected.” He looked from Elizabeth to Rhett and back. “Corbin said something about the ducks.”

“I didn’t know you…work here.” Rhett toddled around the corral bars toward George. The man watched him, blinking.

“He was hiring. Gave me a shot.”

Elizabeth looked from George to the tools. “I didn’t know farrier school was part of a computer science degree.”

George snorted. “Not quite, I picked this up elsewhere. There was a wild horse inmate program. I did well, so I qualified for the certificate.”

“And spent time with wild horses?”

“Tame, too. Helped pass the time. And it got me some gainful employment. Takes care of my parole requirements. Corbin is going to train me to work with the dogs next. Take them out to meet people. Said if I bond with a dog, I can take ’em home. Be the face of his business.”

Elizabeth frowned. She thought of herself as the ambassador for the sled dogs. Well, her and Leia. She tasted a bitterness to her saliva, and goosebumps crawled up her arms. First, he took Kade’s attention, and now Corbin’s. Was she jealous—of a convict? Maybe Maggie and Rita were right. Her friendship with George had consequences she was only just starting to learn.

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